Anybody do this or used to do this? I recently quit my job from Krogers because I was losing $500 a year in union dues and I only made around $1,000 total there, so I said forget it.

I'm 17 years old working on my PPL so obviously I need a job. I'm at about 20 hours right now and I have about 10-15 hours saved, but I need a job to finish the last few. So I figured I'd do airplane washes at the local airport.

Can anybody give me any insight on this? How much should I charge? What should I use to clean?

I figured I could make some money and be around something that I love at the same time. It'd be great for getting contacts for the future, also.

Thanks

 

I am fairly certain that there is nobody on this Board that has done this or even contemplated it!

You are contemplating being an airport bum! Of course we have done it! In fact, if you hang around the airport, doing ANYTHING you can - wash airplanes, clean up around an A&P's shop, work at the flight school, etc...you will get invaluable learning opportunities. If you simply listen while hanging around the mechanics, other pilots whose planes you are washing, flight instructors and the like you will pick up a lot of things by osmosis. Also, you will gain some invaluable contacts if you want to go into instruction, charter, etc.

Being an Airport Bum is a full time job - and sometimes hard, but very enjoyable. And, don't let the term "bum" fool you - most are looked upon with great affection by most. I would wager than a majority of the people on this Board probably did what you are thinking of doing at some point in their careers.

Good luck!